The Tree of Light - LED Tea Light

My journey for this project began with a desire to craft a simple print-in-place decorative lamp for my room. A lamp to shed a light of calm in these turbulent times. I quickly realized that I would require a lot of support material to hold the massive overhang. Disliking filament wastage, I came up with the following solution:

Please let me introduce you to The Tree of Light where technology, art and sustainability intertwine. This print-in-place lamp is not merely a source of light; it's a testament to nature's resilience. I assure you - the result makes up for the time needed to print this lamp.

Imagine a tea light lamp that transcends mere lighting, becoming a miniature world of enchantment that invites you to peer within. Inside the delicate enclosure, a tiny computer-generated tree sprouts, its branches reaching for the stars and gently embracing the LED tea light. As you illuminate this lamp, the lamp exudes a warm, inviting glow that pays homage to the beauty of the great outdoors. The tree inside seems to come to life, casting captivating shadows on the walls that sway like leaves in a gentle breeze. The warm, flickering light exudes a sense of serenity and wonder, as if you've captured a tranquil forest glade in the palm of your hand. 

In a world of innovation, this lamp offers an eco-friendly nod to the environment. It's a radiant reminder of the delicate balance between technology and nature, a beacon of light, both literally and metaphorically, in the heart of your living space.

Printing :

0.2mm layer height works well.

Layers and Perimeters:

Under Advanced set the Seam Position to Rear

Skirt and brim:

Enable outer and inner brim

Set the brim width to 15mm

Set the brim separation gap to 0

Enable organic supports.

Please see screenshots below for the organic support settings that I used. (Feel free to change these settings to change the appearance of the tree)

CAUTION: 

Please be careful that you don’t break off the first layer expansion of the support when you remove the lamp form the bed. I used a very sharp cheese spatula as shown in the images. Sharp spatula generally works well to remove first layer filament but be carful not to scratch your print sheet.

Please remove the remainder of the support expansion (basically everything after the brim which is somewhat used as a stand)

As the organic supports are quite delicate, please make sure that you don’t damage any branches when placing your LED tea light into the lamp. (Perhaps PRUSA Slicer will have an option to set an infill or thicker perimeter for organic supports in the future?) It really isn’t easy to place a LED tea light into the lamp but once you achieve this the results are great.

For security purposes, please ONLY use LED tealights over real ones. This model HAS NOT been designed to hold REAL Candle tealights!
 

Hint: For optimal luminance, print with a silk bronze or gold filament.

Optionally: Carefully cover up the hole of the lamp and paint the outer perimeter with a black or very dark brown acrylic spray - keeping the inner silk filament untouched for the golden glow. You may want to use plastic primer before spraying a color of your choice. (That’s what I am planing and will post a sample soon.)

I hope you will enjoy this lamp and may it bring a sense of zen into your home.

p.s. no, that zen figure in the foto is actually not printed and made from solid rock

Enjoy!

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